The Vault of Destinies (James Potter #3) (26 page)

"I think you're probably right, Price," the thinner man agreed. "At least a decade."

"I'm sure our people are already on the scene, setting things to rights," Franklyn soothed. "We have response teams for just such events, as you know. By morning, no one will remember anything other than that they had a somewhat exciting time during their previous evening's commute. The real question is who these men were and if we need to take their threats seriously."

"I take every threat seriously," Harry announced gravely. Next to him, Neville nodded.

"Does that mean you will be going back home?" Franklyn asked suddenly, peering up at the two men.

"Not at all," Harry replied immediately. "But it does mean we must be exceedingly cautious. I, for one, do not believe that those who attacked us were merely street toughs. They claimed to be members of the W.U.L.F., and were quite possibly attended by that organization's global leader. As one of my former teachers used to say, this will require constant vigilance. Fortunately, we are prepared for just such a thing."

A flicker of shadow appeared overhead followed by the flap of wings. James looked up from where he sat and saw a pigeon circle downwards, landing easily on Trumble's outstretched arm. Dunst quickly removed a rolled note from a tube on the pigeon's leg.

"I like owls better," Lucy commented next to James. "Pigeons are filthy birds."

James shrugged. He didn't have an opinion on that particular subject.

"All right," Dunst announced, reading the note and apparently disliking its contents. "Everything checks out with headquarters downtown. Mr. Potter here, along with his entourage, are indeed here at the request of the D.M.A. My apologies, gentlemen, Professor. Another train has been dispatched to take you and your people the rest of the way to your destination. The remaining passengers will complete their journey via the
Zephyr
, assuming you believe it rail-worthy, Mr. Engineer." He handed the note back to Trumble, who peered down at it.

"Well, I should hope that settles it, then," Franklyn announced huffily.

"I wouldn't be too hasty," the gruff man in the black suit said. "There will be paperwork, I'm afraid. I hate paperwork. It makes me cranky. Mr. Potter, I'd expect a call from the Magical Integration Bureau, if I was you. In fact, I suspect we will take a very close interest in you during the extent of your visit. I hope you'll be willing to cooperate with us."

Harry studied the rough-faced man for a moment, narrowing his eyes. Then, charmingly, he smiled. "It'll be our pleasure, sir. But do let me inquire: what is the basis of your interest in me and my people?"

"You're English, aren't you?" the gruff man, Price, asked, smiling tightly. "You might be interested to know that the tape the F.B.I. received explaining the terms of the release of our kidnapped senator, Charles Filmore, was recorded by someone with a British accent. One can only assume that you are here, officially, to investigate Senator Filmore's ongoing abduction, not to mention the matter of our relocated skyscraper. The newspeople and the general public may buy the story about little green men from the Andromeda galaxy, but we in the Magical Integration Bureau, well… we tend to be a suspicious bunch."

Harry nodded. "As would I, let me assure you. I welcome your assistance and collaboration. For now, though, might I ask, just out of curiosity, what the purported terms of Senator Filmore's release are?"

"That's confidential, of course," Price answered apologetically. "Fortunately, the F.B.I. believes the tape is a prank. I myself know very little about it except that the prevailing view around the Bureau is that we do not negotiate with terrorists—alien, British, or otherwise."

Harry seemed to accept this. "I look forward to hearing from your office, then, Mr. Price. Now if you will excuse us, it is getting rather late and we still have some distance to go if I am not mistaken."

Price bowed slightly and spread his arms. "Mi casa es su casa," he replied. "Enjoy your travels. And welcome to America."

"Hey chief," Trumble said, frowning at the little note in his hands, "it says here we're supposed to escort Mr. Potter and his group for the rest of the trip. You didn't read the whole thing."

"Is that so?" Dunst said with deliberate emphasis. "Well, silly me."

In the distance, the huff and screech of an approaching train grew. Shortly, a headlight appeared around the bend of the tracks, slowing as it approached.

James sighed and looked up. High overhead, one of the Chinese delivery wizards took off from the wooden platform that surrounded the brightly lit restaurant. He circled economically around the extinct smokestacks, dipped down into the shadow of the factory, and swooped toward the
Zephyr.
A moment later, he hovered in front of James, Ralph, and Lucy, consulting a handwritten bill.

"You order three Happy Emperor Family Combo?" he said, glancing up at the three of them. "You owe me sixty-six seventy-five."

"Here you go," Harry said, handing the man a small handful of gold coins. Zane took the paper bag from the basket on the end of the delivery wizard's broom and peered into it.

"Cool!" he said. "Magic fortune cookies!"

"Where's my egg roll?" Ralph asked, leaning forward and sniffing at the open bag. Lights flickered within it and James was mildly amused to see lit sparklers inside the bag, stuck into the tops of a variety of white cartons and boxes.

"What this kinda money?" the delivery wizard said, peering suspiciously at the Galleons in his hand. "This not real money. You trick me?"

"It's real," Franklyn said wearily. "European Galleons are still legal tender in this country, even though you see fewer and fewer of them these days."

The Chinese wizard regarded Franklyn doubtfully. A moment later, he pocketed the Galleons. "Fine fine. But no change. Don't know exchange rate."

"Call it a tip," Harry smiled, accepting a paper bag of crab rangoon from Zane.

The Chinese wizard nodded, doffed his red pillbox cap, turned, and swooped away. In the darkness beyond the
Zephyr
, the wizarding policemen, Dunst and Trumble, stepped off the tracks, approaching their black and yellow police brooms. Further away, the agents from the Magical Integration Bureau climbed down the embankment toward a nondescript black car. Ralph's father took the delivery sack from Zane and climbed into the train to distribute it around. Harry and the rest of the adults stepped aside into the weeds that bordered the outside of the tracks as the second train chugged to a stop next to the
Zephyr
.

Ralph munched his egg roll thoughtfully. "If I'm not mistaken," he said, watching the men in the dark suits as they started their car, "those two are Muggles."

"You nailed it, Ralphinator," Zane said, sighing. "The Bureau is part of the Muggle F.B.I., only super top-secret. The president doesn't even find out about them unless he absolutely has to. They're a little creepy and intense, but it's all part of the deal."

"What deal is that?" James asked.

Zane leaned against the end of the
Zephyr
and waved one of the sparklers from the delivery sack. "The government here was a lot more involved with the wizarding world, way back in the day. The Muggle leaders who knew about the magical community were suspicious of them, even though a lot of the witches and wizards were their friends and helpers. Franklyn can explain it better if you want him to, but basically, they built protections into the original laws that governed the coexistence of the magical and Muggle worlds. Those guys in the suits… they're one of those protections."

Lucy frowned at the black car as it drove serenely away, its lights off in the darkness. "Do they have… what's it called…
jurisdiction
over us?"

Zane shrugged slowly and shook his head, as if he wasn't really sure.

"All I know," Ralph commented, climbing to his feet, "is that we were lucky to have that witch in our compartment. The one that pegged all those guys on the brooms. Talk about your wandless magic."

Zane screwed up his face thoughtfully. "Was she part of your group?"

"I met her once before," James admitted. "In the hallway back at the Aquapolis. She's… curious."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'curious'?"

James shrugged. "She knew things about me, that's all. She said it was because we Potters are famous."

"I suspect there's more to it than that," Lucy said, still looking closely at James. "Otherwise, you wouldn't call her curious."

Ralph raised his eyebrows. "Well, there was the bit where she performed some dead serious magic without any wand in her hand," he proclaimed. "I mean, first Petra, and now some unknown lady. I'm starting to feel like I'm missing out on a trend."

"Probably you just couldn't see her wand," Lucy said dismissively. "It was dark in there, and there was a lot going on."

"I saw her raise her left hand and point," Zane replied. "There was no wand there, I promise you."

"Yes," Lucy nodded, her face merely inquiring, "but did you see her right hand?"

Zane thought about it, but before he could answer, James spoke up again. "What about when we were about to crash into the overpass? I was sure the train wasn't going to make the jump, but then up we went, like we suddenly sprouted wings. Maybe it was that witch again! Maybe she levitated the train!"

Lucy shook her head. "You can't levitate yourself, James, or anything you happen to be riding in. It'd be like trying to pick yourself up by your own feet. It's one of the laws of magical dynamics."

"Well, somebody gave us a boost back there," Ralph said. "I felt it happen."

Lucy opened her mouth to respond, and then stopped. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"Wait a minute," Zane said, pointing at Lucy and looking at James. "She's this year's Rose, right? She's the smart one!"

"What, Lucy?" James asked, bumping her.

Lucy shook herself. "Well, like I said, it's impossible, but still…"

Ralph threw up his hands in exasperation. "So tell already!"

"I think it might have been Petra," Lucy said, looking at the three boys.

James felt a shiver coil at the base of his spine. "Why do you say that, Lu?"

Lucy's face was tense as she thought about it. "I was in the same car as Petra. Back in the middle of it all, even when those dark flyers were blasting the engine with their wands, Petra stayed unusually calm. Uncle Harry and Professor Longbottom were firing back at them and there was no end of confusion, what with everyone screaming and the train crashing along the street, but Petra just sat there, holding Izzy's hand. The two of them were just looking out the window, watching everything happen. And then, when the train leapt up, aiming for the tracks, I saw it…"

"Let me guess," James said quietly. "Petra closed her eyes. Like she was concentrating on something."

Lucy looked at James. "No," she replied meaningfully. "They both did. Izzy and Petra both. And that's when it happened. That's when we lifted up onto the tracks. That's when we didn't crash."

There was a long awkward moment of silence as everyone considered this. Finally, James heard the approach of footsteps from the railway bed in front of them.

"James, and the rest of you," Neville called up from the side of the tracks. "The other train is finally ready for us. Go and alert Professor Remora and the others in our group, will you? Tell them we're boarding a different train for the remainder of the trip. With any luck, this journey may still end tonight."

James nodded. Along with Lucy and Ralph, he climbed to his feet and threaded back through the rear doorway, into the dark train.

The second train wasn't as nice as the
Zephyr
, but it was quiet and moved with similar speed. James found himself in a sparsely populated passenger compartment with most of the rest of his traveling companions. The rocking of the train, and the darkness outside the windows once the city was behind them, lulled him into a mild doze. Finally, an hour or so later, James was awakened by the screech of brakes as the train began to slow. He looked around blearily as his fellow passengers began to stir and collect their things.

"Finally here," Ralph muttered, cupping his hands to the window as a railway station lumbered slowly past. "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."

"At least the journey's done," Albus commented grumpily.

Near the head of the passenger compartment, James saw Professor Remora sleeping awkwardly, leaning across two seats with her mouth hanging open. One of her students nudged her experimentally.

"I thought vampires loved the night," Lucy mused idly.

"Who, you mean Remora?" Zane said, glancing at Lucy. "Yeah, that's a real puzzler, ain't it?"

Ralph yawned and asked Zane, "How far is the school from here?"

"Just a few blocks away. It's almost right downtown, but you have to know where to look."

Franklyn shouldered his leather attaché and patted his pockets, apparently looking for his glasses. "I'll arrange for our trunks and bags to be delivered to our various quarters via porter. Tonight, you shall all stay in the Alma Aleron guest house. Tomorrow, I will show you all to your residences for the duration of your stay."